State and Local Tech-based ED RoundUp

Colorado The Rocky Mountain Technology Alliance (RMTA) is a recently formed regional development organization for applied research and technology development whose membership includes universities, government organizations and private businesses. The goal of RMTA is to assist its member organizations by pursuing collaborative programs that will produce intellectual property for new products and businesses. Its mission also includes creating manufacturing solutions to support successful commercial growth and national security. The alliance will cater to a cluster of high tech companies, educational institutions, and government facilities located in the Rocky Mountain Technology Corridor, which stretches from Northern Colorado to Southern New Mexico.

Indiana

To boost community and economic development successes and achieve greater efficiency in use of resources and volunteers, several local Indiana groups should combine operations, according to the 19-member Lafayette-West Lafayette Economic & Community Development Working Group. The group spent the last year studying the organizations and options and recommends consolidating six nonprofits: Downtown Business Center, Greater Lafayette Community Development Corp., Lafayette Urban Enterprise Association, Lafayette-West Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, Lafayette-West Lafayette Economic Development Corp. and Vision 2020. In a report presented to its board members, the group suggests the benefits of consolidation of still additional groups could include shared bookkeeping, information technology and support staffs; lower costs for auditing, legal assistance and other expenses; and a stronger management structure.

Advancing Indiana, an economic development initiative of Indiana University (IU) and its six regional sites, is ready to do business after opening a new office in Indianapolis. The office will provide businesses and governmental units throughout Indiana with a central point of contact to help them access the university's resources. Bill Hunt, chairman of Hunt Capital Partners, LLC, a venture capital and consulting firm based in Indianapolis, is serving in a volunteer capacity as IU's chief economic development representative. Kyle Salyers will share lead responsibilities with Hunt as special advisor for economic development to the president. Salyers has participated in a number of state economic development leadership roles and, with Hunt, serves on the Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation Advisory Board. The two will look to prioritize current university engagement activities, identifying new targets of opportunity. Creation of the office is part of an economic development plan completed in 2004 by a task force that visited 10 Indiana communities to learn how IU could help become more competitive.

Iowa

Using money approved by the Iowa Board of Regents, the University of Iowa has announced a new economic development initiative called Iowa Centers for Enterprise, Business and Commercialization Services. The centers will provide assistance to Iowa startups and existing Iowa businesses and communities, and help the state of Iowa develop a creative, entrepreneurial workforce. Funding for the centers comes from the Grow Iowa Values Fund, which will provide $5 million annually through 2015. The Iowa Centers for Enterprise include the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center, the University of Iowa Research Foundation, the Small Business Development Center, the Office of Corporate Relations, the Technology Innovation Center business incubator and Oakdale Research Park.

Washington

A Spokesman Review article reports the Spokane-based Technet organization is closing for business after 15 years of operation. Technet was established as a conduit to technology and innovation resources, promoting education, mentoring and networking among regional business professionals, educators, students. The article cites reasons of Technet fulfilling its purpose and difficulty sustaining membership for its closure. The organization also struggled to secure private sector financing or government grants for its programs, the Spokesman Review adds.

West Virginia

The West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation (WVHTC) and the Institute for Scientific Research, Inc. (ISR) will join forces, the Charleston Daily Mail reported last month. Combined, West Virginia's two leading high-tech organizations employ about 250 people, the article states. The WVHTC Foundation, a nonprofit corporation established in 1993, provides innovative technology-based programs, products and services. ISR, a nonprofit organization formed in 1995, performs research across a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines.